System for, and method of, detecting the presence of a mobile communication device in proximity to an imaging reader and for automatically configuring the reader to read an electronic code displayed on the device upon such detection

ABSTRACT

A printed code associated with a product is illuminated with light having a first lighting characteristic, and is readable in a default mode of an imaging reader. An electronic code displayed on a mobile communication device is readable in another mode of the reader, with a different second lighting characteristic that is designed to minimize specular reflection from a screen of the device. When the presence of the device in close proximity to the reader is detected, the reader is automatically configured to switch from the default mode to the other mode to enable the electronic code to be read.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to a system for, and a methodof, electro-optically reading a printed code associated with a product,and an electronic code displayed on a mobile communication device, and,more particularly, to detecting the presence of the device, such as asmartphone, in close proximity to an imaging reader, and forautomatically configuring the reader to read the electronic code uponsuch detection.

Solid-state imaging systems or imaging readers have been used, in bothhandheld and/or hands-free modes of operation, to electro-optically readtargets, such as one- and two-dimensional bar code symbols, and/ornon-symbols, such as documents, over a range of working distancesrelative to each reader. An imaging reader includes a housing forsupporting an imaging module, also known as a scan engine. In ahands-free mode, such as at a fixed position kiosk or at a stationary,point-of-transaction workstation, the imaging module is mounted in ahousing having at least one window to which products associated with,e.g., bearing, the symbols to be read are either presented, or acrosswhich the symbols are swiped. The workstation may have a single,horizontal or upright, window as in a flat-bed or slot-scannerworkstation, or a pair of horizontal and upright windows as in abi-optical workstation, and be located at a countertop of a checkoutstand in supermarkets, warehouse clubs, department stores, and otherkinds of retailers, as well as at other kinds of businesses, such aslibraries and factories.

The imaging module includes an imaging assembly having a solid-stateimager or imaging sensor with an array of photocells or light sensors,which correspond to image elements or pixels in an imaging field of viewof the imager, and an imaging lens assembly for capturing return lightscattered and/or reflected from the symbol being imaged over a range ofworking distances relative to the module, and for projecting the returnlight onto the array to initiate capture of an image of each symbol.Such an imager may include a one- or two-dimensional charge coupleddevice (CCD) or a complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) device,with global or rolling exposure shutters, and associated circuits forproducing and processing electrical signals corresponding to a one- ortwo-dimensional array of pixel data over the imaging field of view. Inorder to increase the amount of the return light captured by the array,for example, in dimly lit environments or for far-out symbols locatedrelatively far from the window, the imaging module generally alsoincludes an illuminating light assembly for illuminating the symbol withillumination light over an illumination field for reflection andscattering from the symbol.

Each symbol is typically printed with ink on such media as paper, foilor film labels that are directly applied to the products, or on suchmedia as paper, foil or film packaging that cover and contain theproducts, or directly on membership or customer loyalty cards, coupons,and drivers' licenses that are carried by customers remotely from theproducts. In recent years, it has become increasingly advantageous todisplay symbols on information display screens, such as display screensof wireless telephones (“cellphones” or “smartphones”), personal digitalassistants (“PDAs”), and like mobile communication devices, such ase-readers, portable tablets, slates, wearable glasses or watches, andcomputers. Displaying such symbols, also known as “electronic codes”, onsuch display screens has become increasingly desirable at such venues asairports and theaters, because they relieve consumers from needing tocarry symbol-coded, paper tickets, coupons, and cards.

Although generally satisfactory for their intended purpose of readingprinted codes, some of the known imaging readers have not proven to bealtogether satisfactory when reading the above-described electroniccodes due to specular reflection of the illumination light off thedisplay screens. Display screens can be reflective, i.e., they altertheir reflectivity to ambient light to form an image, typically fromlight and dark pixels, such as passive black and white liquid crystaldisplays (“LCDs”), or can be emissive, such as backlit LCDs, i.e., theyinternally generate the light emitted therefrom. Whether reflective oremissive, each display screen includes a glass pane or cover, and theelectronic code is displayed behind the glass pane. A portion of theillumination light incident on the glass pane is reflected therefromback into the imaging field of view of the imager. This reflectedportion of the illumination light creates undesirable one or more hotspots in the imaging field of view that at least partially and locallyblinds the imager, and may significantly compromise reading performance.If the electronic code cannot be successfully read in an initialattempt, the scan engine typically tries again and again. Often, thereading fails, and the user must take additional time to manually enterthe data that would have otherwise been automatically read and enteredinto the imaging reader.

Accordingly, there is a need to efficiently, rapidly and reliably readelectronic codes, and to generally improve overall reading performanceof such imaging readers when reading electronic codes.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying figures, where like reference numerals refer toidentical or functionally similar elements throughout the separateviews, together with the detailed description below, are incorporated inand form part of the specification, and serve to further illustrateembodiments of concepts that include the claimed invention, and explainvarious principles and advantages of those embodiments.

FIG. 1 is a view of a system for detecting the presence of a mobilecommunication device in close proximity to an imaging reader, and forautomatically configuring the reader to read an electronic codedisplayed on the device, in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic view depicting system components forconfiguring the reader to read a printed code associated with a product,and the electronic code displayed on the device in the system of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an electrical schematic depicting system components fordetecting the presence of the mobile communication device in closeproximity to the imaging reader in the system of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a timing diagram depicting system operation for an imagerhaving a global shutter during reading of both printed and electroniccodes in accordance with one embodiment of this invention.

FIG. 5 is a timing diagram depicting system operation for an imagerhaving a rolling shutter during reading of both printed and electroniccodes in accordance with another embodiment of this invention.

FIG. 6 is a flow chart depicting steps performed in a method ofdetecting the presence of the mobile communication device in closeproximity to the imaging reader, and for automatically configuring thereader to read the electronic code displayed on the device, inaccordance with the present invention.

Skilled artisans will appreciate that elements in the figures areillustrated for simplicity and clarity and have not necessarily beendrawn to scale. For example, the dimensions and locations of some of theelements in the figures may be exaggerated relative to other elements tohelp to improve understanding of embodiments of the present invention.

The system and method components have been represented where appropriateby conventional symbols in the drawings, showing only those specificdetails that are pertinent to understanding the embodiments of thepresent invention so as not to obscure the disclosure with details thatwill be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art havingthe benefit of the description herein.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

One aspect of the present disclosure relates to a system forelectro-optically reading a printed code, e.g., a one- ortwo-dimensional bar code symbol, associated with a product, and forelectro-optically reading an electronic code displayed on a mobilecommunication device, such as a cellphone or a smartphone. The systemcomprises an imaging reader including a housing, a light-transmissivewindow supported by the housing, an imaging assembly supported by thehousing and having a solid-state imager with an array of image sensors,e.g., a one- or two-dimensional charge coupled device (CCD) or acomplementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) device, with global orrolling exposure shutters, and an imaging lens assembly, and anilluminating light assembly supported by the housing. A controller isoperative, in a first mode of operation of the reader, for controllingthe illuminating light assembly to illuminate the printed code withillumination light having a first lighting characteristic, forcontrolling the imaging assembly to capture illumination light returnedfrom the illuminated printed code through the window over a field ofview and to project the captured illumination light from the illuminatedprinted code onto the array, and for processing the capturedillumination light from the illuminated printed code.

A device detector detects when the mobile communication device isproximal to the window by sensing a radio frequency (RF) signal radiatedfrom the mobile communication device, and generates a mode controlsignal when the sensed RF signal exceeds a threshold value. Preferably,the device detector includes an antenna supported by the housing, andoperative for receiving the RF signal radiated from the mobilecommunication device when the latter is searching for a wirelessconnection.

The controller is operative, in response to receipt of the mode controlsignal, for automatically configuring the reader to switch to a secondmode of operation in which the controller controls the illuminatinglight assembly to change the illumination light from a first lightingcharacteristic to a second lighting characteristic, controls the imagingassembly to capture return light from the electronic code through thewindow over a field of view and to project the captured return lightfrom the electronic code onto the array, and processes the capturedreturn light from the electronic code. The second lightingcharacteristic is different from the first lighting characteristic tominimize specular reflection from the mobile communication device fromcompromising reading of the electronic code.

If the imager has a global shutter for simultaneously exposing all theimage sensors over exposure times in successive frames, then thecontroller energizes the illuminating light assembly to emit theillumination light as pulses over pulse times in successive frames,synchronizes each exposure time with each pulse time in each frame forthe first lighting characteristic, and timewise shifts each pulse timewith each exposure time in each frame for the second lightingcharacteristic. Advantageously, each pulse time does not overlap eachexposure time for the second lighting characteristic.

If the imager has a rolling shutter for sequentially exposing all theimage sensors in successive rows or columns over successive exposuretimes, then the controller energizes the illuminating light assembly toemit the illumination light as a train of pulses over successive pulsetimes, synchronizes one of the pulse times to overlap one of theexposure times for the first lighting characteristic in the first mode,and timewise shifts each pulse time with each exposure time for thesecond lighting characteristic in the second mode. Advantageously, eachpulse time partially overlaps each exposure time for the second lightingcharacteristic.

Another aspect of the present disclosure relates to a method ofelectro-optically reading a printed code associated with a product, andof electro-optically reading an electronic code displayed on a mobilecommunication device. The method is performed by controlling, in a firstmode of operation of an imaging reader having a light-transmissivewindow, an illuminating light assembly to illuminate a printed code withillumination light having a first lighting characteristic, andcontrolling an imaging assembly having a solid-state imager with anarray of image sensors to capture illumination light returned from theilluminated printed code through the window over a field of view and toproject the captured illumination light from the illuminated printedcode onto the array, and processing the captured illumination light fromthe illuminated printed code. The method is further performed bydetecting when the mobile communication device is proximal to the windowby sensing a radio frequency (RF) signal radiated from the mobilecommunication device, and generating a mode control signal when thesensed RF signal exceeds a threshold value. The method is still furtherperformed by automatically configuring the reader, in response togeneration of the mode control signal, to switch to a second mode ofoperation in which the illumination light from illuminating lightassembly is changed from a first lighting characteristic to a secondlighting characteristic, in which return light from the electronic codeis captured by the imaging assembly through the window over a field ofview and is projected onto the array, and in which the captured returnlight from the electronic code is processed. The second lightingcharacteristic is configured to be different from the first lightingcharacteristic to minimize specular reflection from the mobilecommunication device from compromising reading of the electronic code.

Reference numeral 10 in FIG. 1 generally identifies a mobile, handheldreader for electro-optically reading targets by image capture. Asillustrated, the imaging reader 10 has a lower handle 12 to be grippedin a user's hand, and an upper barrel 14 arranged in a gun-shapedhousing 16 having a trigger 18 that is manually depressed by the user'sforefinger to initiate reading of a target, such as a one- ortwo-dimensional symbol associated with a product, or an electronic code22 displayed on a screen 24 of a mobile communication device 30. Alight-transmissive window 20 (best seen in FIG. 2) is mounted on thehousing 16 at the front end region of the barrel 14. The reader 10 canthus be used in a handheld mode in which the reader 10 is aimed at atarget to be read, followed by depression of the trigger 18 to initiatereading.

Although FIG. 1 depicts a gun-shaped reader 10, this is merelyexemplary, because it will be understood that many other readerconfigurations may be employed in the practice of the inventiondisclosed herein. For example, the reader may alternatively beconfigured as a stationary workstation, such as a vertical slot scannerhaving a generally upright window, or as a horizontal slot scannerhaving a generally horizontal window, or as a bioptical workstationhaving both a generally horizontal window and a generally uprightwindow. The workstation may be used in many diverse environments. Inthese stationary workstations, the targets are slid, swiped past, orpresented to, a window on the workstation in a hands-free mode ofoperation.

The mobile communication device 30 in FIG. 1 is depicted as a cellphoneor smartphone, but it could equally well be a different device, such asa personal digital assistant (“PDA”), an e-reader, a tablet, a slate, apair of wearable glasses, a watch, or a portable computer. The device 30has, among other things, an electronic keyboard 26, and, as best seen inFIG. 3, a microprocessor 28, a radio frequency (RF) module 32, and an RFantenna 34, as described below. The illustrated electronic code 22 is aone-dimensional symbol, but it could equally well be a two-dimensionalsymbol.

FIG. 2 schematically depicts an imaging assembly or scan engine mountedin the reader 10 behind the window 20. The imaging assembly includes asolid-state, imager or image sensor 36, and an imaging lens assembly 38,which may have one or more imaging lenses, such as a Cooke triplet. Theimager 36 has an array of pixels or light sensors and may be a one- ortwo-dimensional charge coupled device (CCD) or a complementary metaloxide semiconductor (CMOS) device, having either a global or a rollingexposure shutter, and is analogous to the imagers used in electronicdigital cameras. The imager 36 and the lens assembly 38 are togetheroperative for capturing return light scattered and/or reflected from atarget 40 to be read by image capture over a field of view along anoptical path or axis 42 through the window 20 and over a range ofworking distances between a close-in working distance (WD1) and afar-out working distance (WD2). In a preferred embodiment, WD1 is eitherat, or about a half inch away from, the window 26, and WD2 can be manyfeet from the window 26, although other numerical values arecontemplated. The target 40 may either be a printed code associated witha product, or the electronic code 22 displayed on the device 30. Asdescribed below, the imager 36 may have a global shutter in which allthe image sensors are simultaneously exposed in successive frames, or arolling shutter in which all the image sensors are sequentially exposedin successive rows or columns.

The reader 10 also supports an energizable illuminating light assemblyfor illuminating the target with illumination light from an illuminationlight source when energized. The illuminating light assembly includes,as illustrated, a pair of illumination light sources or light emittingdiodes (LEDs) 44, and a corresponding pair of illumination lensassemblies 46 to uniformly illuminate the target 40 with illuminationlight when energized. The illumination LEDs 44 and the illumination lensassemblies 46 are preferably symmetrically located at opposite sides ofthe imager 36. A controller or control circuit 50 controls operation ofthe electrical components of the assemblies, processes the capturedreturn light from the target as a image, and decodes the captured image.A memory 48 is connected, and accessible, to the controller 50.

As previously described, the reader 10 is very satisfactory for readinga printed code, but is less satisfactory when reading the electroniccode 22 due to specular reflection of the illumination light off thedisplay screen 24. A portion of the illumination light incident on thedisplay screen 24 is reflected therefrom back into the imaging field ofview of the imager 36. This reflected portion of the illumination lightcreates undesirable one or more hot spots in the imaging field of viewthat at least partially and locally blinds the imager 36, and maysignificantly compromise reading performance. If the electronic code 22cannot be successfully read in an initial attempt, the scan enginetypically tries again and again, thus rendering the performance assluggish.

To minimize, if not eliminate, the specular reflection problemassociated with electronic codes and to expedite the reading ofelectronic codes, it is proposed to change the lighting characteristicof the illumination light when reading electronic codes. Thus, in afirst mode of operation, the controller 50 energizes the illuminatinglight assembly to emit the illumination light to illuminate the printedcode with a first lighting characteristic, and thereupon, the controller50 processes the captured return light from the printed code to read theprinted code by image capture with the first lighting characteristic. Ina second mode of operation, the controller 50 configures theilluminating light assembly to have a different second lightingcharacteristic, and thereupon, the controller 50 processes the capturedreturn light from the electronic code 22 to read the electronic code 22by image capture with the second lighting characteristic. The differencebetween the first and second lighting characteristics is dependent onwhether the imager 36 has a global exposure shutter or a rollingexposure shutter, as described below.

The change in the lighting characteristics of the illumination light isinitiated by a device detector in the reader 10 for detecting when themobile communication device 30 is proximal to the window 20 by sensing aradio frequency (RF) signal radiated from the mobile communicationdevice 30, typically when the device is searching for a wirelessconnection, and for generating a mode control signal when the sensed RFsignal exceeds a threshold value. The controller 50 automaticallyswitches from the first lighting characteristic to the second lightingcharacteristic in response to receipt of the mode control signal.

As best seen in FIG. 3, the device detector includes an antenna 52 forreceiving the RF signal radiated from the antenna 34 of the mobilecommunication device 30 when the latter is searching for a wirelessconnection, a frequency bandpass filter 54 for filtering the received RFsignal, preferably in the frequency band of 0.7 to 2.7 GHz, a rectifier56 for rectifying the filtered RF signal to a DC voltage, an optionalamplifier 58 with a fixed gain for amplifying the rectified RF signal,and a comparator 60 for comparing the DC voltage to a reference DCvoltage constituting the threshold value. When the DC voltage exceedsthe reference DC voltage, the mode control signal is generated, and sentto the controller 50 (see FIG. 2).

The search for the wireless connection by a smartphone or a cellphone isperiodically, and typically constantly, performed by the microprocessor28 controlling the RF module 32 to send out from the antenna 34 short RFsignals or “pings” as the phone searches for a Wi-Fi or a cellularnetwork nearby. These pings include the phone's MAC address (a uniqueidentifier associated with a specific device) and other non-personalinformation like RF signal strength that is used to determine roughlocation of the phone. The phone also sends out RF signals whenconnecting to a Bluetooth device, or a near field communication (NFC)device. The frequency of these RF signals generally lies in the band ofthe bandpass filter 54. The antenna 52 of the detector receives thesepings, and generates the mode control signal when the mobilecommunication device 30 is located in a near range of working distancesaway from the window 20. The near range extends from the window 20 toabout ten inches therefrom in a preferred embodiment.

As previously mentioned, when the imager 36 uses a global shutter inwhich all the image sensors are simultaneously exposed over exposuretimes in successive frames, then the controller 50 energizes theillumination LEDs 44 to emit the illumination light as pulses over pulsetimes in the successive frames. A typical imager needs about 16-33milliseconds to read the entire target image and operates at a framerate of about 30-60 frames per second. As shown in FIG. 4, the exposuretimes, as represented by pulses A1 and A2, each have a duration of 1millisecond, and the frame interval is 30 milliseconds, there being oneexposure time per frame. Each illumination pulse, as represented bypulses B1 and B2, has a pulse time of 1 millisecond, there being onepulse time per frame. When reading the printed code, the controller 50synchronizes each exposure time with each pulse time in each frame.Thus, as shown on the left side of FIG. 4, the pulses A1 and B1 overlapin time. When reading the electronic code 22, the controller 50 timewiseshifts each pulse time with each exposure time in each frame. Thus, asshown on the right side of FIG. 4, the pulses A2 and B2 are offset intime. Put another way, when reading the electronic code 22, theillumination pulse B2 is not generated while the imager 36 is beingexposed. Thus, the illumination pulse B2 does not create any hot spotsthat could blind and interfere with the imager 36.

As also previously mentioned, when the imager 36 uses a rolling shutterin which the image sensors, which are arranged in mutually orthogonalrows and columns, are sequentially exposed over exposure times insuccessive rows or columns, then the controller 50 energizes theillumination LEDs 44 to emit the illumination light as a train of pulsesover pulse over successive pulse times. As shown in FIG. 5, the exposuretimes, as represented by pulses A3, A4, A5, A6 and A7, each have aduration of 30 milliseconds, and the frame interval is 35 milliseconds,there being one exposure time per frame. Each illumination pulse, asrepresented by pulses B3, B4, B5 and B6, has a pulse time of 35milliseconds. When reading the printed code, the controller 50synchronizes one of the pulse times B3 to overlap, and extend past, oneof the exposure times A3, as shown on the left side of FIG. 5. Thisinsures that the printed code is fully illuminated for the entireexposure time.

When reading the electronic code 22 with the rolling shutter, thecontroller 50 timewise shifts each pulse time with each exposure time.Thus, as shown in FIG. 5, the pulses A4 and B4 are offset in time, asare the pulses A5 and B5, as are the pulses A6 and B6, etc. Each pulsetime partially overlaps each exposure time. Thus, in frame 1, a leadingpart of the pulse B4 overlaps two-thirds of the pulse A4, so that onlythe bottom two-thirds of the rows or columns of the array are exposed;in frame 2, a trailing part of the pulse B4 and a leading part of thepulse B5 overlap the leading and trailing third of the pulse A5, so thatonly the top and the bottom thirds of the rows or columns of the arrayare exposed; and in frame 3, a trailing part of the pulse B5 overlapstwo-thirds of the pulse A6, so that only the top two-thirds of the rowsor columns of the array are exposed; and so on.

Turning now to the flow chart of FIG. 6, a method of reading a printedcode and an electronic code is performed by capturing and processingreturn light from the printed code illuminated with a first lightingcharacteristic in a first or default mode of operation of the imagingreader 10 in step 100. When the device 30 is detected in close proximityto the reader 10 in step 102, a mode control signal is generated, which,in turn, signals the controller 50 to configure the reader 10 totransition to a second mode of operation in which the lightingcharacteristic has been changed to a second lighting characteristic instep 104. In the second mode, return light from the electronic code iscaptured and processed in step 106. The second lighting characteristicis designed to minimize, if not eliminate, the specular reflectionproblem that occurs when reading the electronic code. Thus, the reader10 has an accelerated, aggressive reading performance, because thesystem recognizes that an electronic code is desired to be read when thenear presence of the device 30 is detected.

In the foregoing specification, specific embodiments have beendescribed. However, one of ordinary skill in the art appreciates thatvarious modifications and changes can be made without departing from thescope of the invention as set forth in the claims below. Accordingly,the specification and figures are to be regarded in an illustrativerather than a restrictive sense, and all such modifications are intendedto be included within the scope of present teachings.

The benefits, advantages, solutions to problems, and any element(s) thatmay cause any benefit, advantage, or solution to occur or become morepronounced are not to be construed as a critical, required, or essentialfeatures or elements of any or all the claims. The invention is definedsolely by the appended claims including any amendments made during thependency of this application and all equivalents of those claims asissued.

Moreover in this document, relational terms such as first and second,top and bottom, and the like may be used solely to distinguish oneentity or action from another entity or action without necessarilyrequiring or implying any actual such relationship or order between suchentities or actions. The terms “comprises,” “comprising,” “has,”“having,” “includes,” “including,” “contains,” “containing,” or anyother variation thereof, are intended to cover a non-exclusiveinclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus thatcomprises, has, includes, contains a list of elements does not includeonly those elements, but may include other elements not expressly listedor inherent to such process, method, article, or apparatus. An elementproceeded by “comprises . . . a,” “has . . . a,” “includes . . . a,” or“contains . . . a,” does not, without more constraints, preclude theexistence of additional identical elements in the process, method,article, or apparatus that comprises, has, includes, or contains theelement. The terms “a” and “an” are defined as one or more unlessexplicitly stated otherwise herein. The terms “substantially,”“essentially,” “approximately,” “about,” or any other version thereof,are defined as being close to as understood by one of ordinary skill inthe art, and in one non-limiting embodiment the term is defined to bewithin 10%, in another embodiment within 5%, in another embodimentwithin 1%, and in another embodiment within 0.5%. The term “coupled” asused herein is defined as connected, although not necessarily directlyand not necessarily mechanically. A device or structure that is“configured” in a certain way is configured in at least that way, butmay also be configured in ways that are not listed.

It will be appreciated that some embodiments may be comprised of one ormore generic or specialized processors (or “processing devices”) such asmicroprocessors, digital signal processors, customized processors, andfield programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), and unique stored programinstructions (including both software and firmware) that control the oneor more processors to implement, in conjunction with certainnon-processor circuits, some, most, or all of the functions of themethod and/or apparatus described herein. Alternatively, some or allfunctions could be implemented by a state machine that has no storedprogram instructions, or in one or more application specific integratedcircuits (ASICs), in which each function or some combinations of certainof the functions are implemented as custom logic. Of course, acombination of the two approaches could be used.

Moreover, an embodiment can be implemented as a computer-readablestorage medium having computer readable code stored thereon forprogramming a computer (e.g., comprising a processor) to perform amethod as described and claimed herein. Examples of suchcomputer-readable storage mediums include, but are not limited to, ahard disk, a CD-ROM, an optical storage device, a magnetic storagedevice, a ROM (Read Only Memory), a PROM (Programmable Read OnlyMemory), an EPROM (Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory), an EEPROM(Electrically Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory) and a Flashmemory. Further, it is expected that one of ordinary skill,notwithstanding possibly significant effort and many design choicesmotivated by, for example, available time, current technology, andeconomic considerations, when guided by the concepts and principlesdisclosed herein, will be readily capable of generating such softwareinstructions and programs and ICs with minimal experimentation.

The Abstract of the Disclosure is provided to allow the reader toquickly ascertain the nature of the technical disclosure. It issubmitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpretor limit the scope or meaning of the claims. In addition, in theforegoing Detailed Description, it can be seen that various features aregrouped together in various embodiments for the purpose of streamliningthe disclosure. This method of disclosure is not to be interpreted asreflecting an intention that the claimed embodiments require morefeatures than are expressly recited in each claim. Rather, as thefollowing claims reflect, inventive subject matter lies in less than allfeatures of a single disclosed embodiment. Thus, the following claimsare hereby incorporated into the Detailed Description, with each claimstanding on its own as a separately claimed subject matter.

The invention claimed is:
 1. A system for electro-optically reading aprinted code associated with a product, and for electro-opticallyreading an electronic code displayed on a mobile communication device,the system comprising: an imaging reader including a housing, alight-transmissive window supported by the housing, an imaging assemblysupported by the housing and having a solid-state imager with an arrayof image sensors and an imaging lens assembly, and an illuminating lightassembly supported by the housing; a controller operative, in a firstmode of operation of the reader, to control the illuminating lightassembly to illuminate the printed code with illumination light having afirst lighting characteristic, to control the imaging assembly tocapture illumination light returned from the illuminated printed codethrough the window over a field of view and to project the capturedillumination light from the illuminated printed code onto the array, andto process the captured illumination light from the illuminated printedcode; and a device detector to detect without relying upon Near-fieldcommunication (NFC) when the mobile communication device is proximal tothe window by sensing a radio frequency (RF) signal radiated from themobile communication device in the frequency band of 0.7 to 2.7 GHz, andto generate a mode control signal when the sensed RF signal exceeds athreshold value; the controller being operative to, in response toreceipt of the mode control signal and without first capturing returnlight from the electronic code, automatically configure the reader toswitch to a second mode of operation in which the controller is to (i)control the illuminating light assembly to change the illumination lightfrom the first lighting characteristic to a second lightingcharacteristic, (ii) control the imaging assembly to capture the returnlight from the electronic code through the window over a field of viewand to project the captured return light from the electronic code ontothe array, and (iii) process the captured return light from theelectronic code, the second lighting characteristic being different fromthe first lighting characteristic to inhibit specular reflection fromthe mobile communication device from compromising reading of theelectronic code; and wherein the controller is operative to expose allthe image sensors in the imager over exposure times in successive framesand to energize the illuminating light assembly to emit the illuminationlight as pulses over pulse times, and wherein the amount of illuminationlight integrated over each exposure time for the first lightingcharacteristic is greater than the amount of illumination lightintegrated over some of the exposure times for the second lightingcharacteristic, wherein the imager has a rolling shutter to sequentiallyexpose all the image sensors in successive rows or columns oversuccessive exposure times; and wherein the controller, in the secondmode, is to timewise shift each pulse time with each exposure time forthe second lighting characteristic such that a first portion of aresulting image of the electronic code is illuminated and a secondportion of the resulting image is not illuminated.
 2. The system ofclaim 1, wherein the controller, in the first mode, is to synchronizeone of the pulse times to overlap one of the exposure times for thefirst lighting characteristic.
 3. The system of claim 2, wherein eachpulse time partially overlaps each exposure time for the second lightingcharacteristic.
 4. The system of claim 1, wherein the device detectorincludes an antenna supported by the housing to receive the RF signalradiated from the mobile communication device when the device issearching for a wireless connection to a Wi-Fi or a cellular networknearby.
 5. The system of claim 4, wherein the device detector includes afrequency bandpass filter to filter the received RF signal, a rectifierto rectify the filtered RF signal to a DC voltage, and a comparator tocompare the DC voltage to a reference DC voltage constituting thethreshold value.
 6. The system of claim 1, wherein the device detectoris operative to detect when the mobile communication device is locatedin a near range of working distances away from the window, and whereinthe near range extends from the window to about ten inches outwardlyaway from the window.
 7. The system of claim 1, wherein each code is abar code symbol; and wherein the mobile communication device is awireless phone having an RF module and an antenna; and wherein the firstmode is a default mode of the imaging reader.
 8. A method ofelectro-optically reading a printed code associated with a product, andof electro-optically reading an electronic code displayed on a mobilecommunication device, the method comprising: controlling, in a firstmode of operation of an imaging reader having a light-transmissivewindow, an illuminating light assembly to illuminate a printed code withillumination light having a first lighting characteristic, andcontrolling an imaging assembly having a solid-state imager with anarray of image sensors to capture illumination light returned from theilluminated printed code through the window over a field of view and toproject the captured illumination light from the illuminated printedcode onto the array, and processing the captured illumination light fromthe illuminated printed code; detecting without relying upon Near-fieldcommunication (NFC) when the mobile communication device is proximal tothe window by sensing a radio frequency (RF) signal radiated from themobile communication device in the frequency band of 0.7 to 2.7 GHz, andgenerating a mode control signal when the sensed RF signal exceeds athreshold value; automatically configuring the reader, in response togeneration of the mode control signal and without first capturing returnlight from the electronic code, to switch to a second mode of operationin which the illumination light from illuminating light assembly ischanged from a first lighting characteristic to a second lightingcharacteristic, in which the return light from the electronic code iscaptured by the imaging assembly through the window over a field of viewand is projected onto the array, and in which the captured return lightfrom the electronic code is processed; and configuring the secondlighting characteristic to be different from the first lightingcharacteristic to minimize specular reflection from the mobilecommunication device from compromising reading of the electronic code;and wherein the capturing is performed by exposing all the image sensorsin the imager over exposure times in successive frames and energizingthe illuminating light assembly to emit the illumination light as pulsesover pulse times, and wherein the amount of illumination lightintegrated over each exposure time for the first lighting characteristicis greater than the amount of illumination light integrated over some ofthe exposure times for the second lighting characteristic, wherein thecapturing is further performed by sequentially exposing all the imagesensors in successive rows or columns over successive exposure timeswith a rolling shutter of the imager; and timewise shifting each pulsetime with each exposure time for the second lighting characteristic inthe second mode such that a first portion of a resulting image of theelectronic code is illuminated and a second portion of the resultingimage is not illuminated.
 9. The method of claim 8, wherein thecapturing is further performed by synchronizing one of the pulse timesto overlap one of the exposure times for the first lightingcharacteristic in the first mode.
 10. The method of claim 9, whereineach pulse time partially overlaps each exposure time for the secondlighting characteristic.
 11. The method of claim 8, wherein thedetecting is performed by receiving the RF signal radiated from themobile communication device with an antenna when the device is searchingfor a wireless connection to a Wi-Fi or a cellular network nearby. 12.The method of claim 11, wherein the detecting is further performed byfiltering the received RF signal, rectifying the filtered RF signal to aDC voltage, and comparing the DC voltage to a reference DC voltageconstituting the threshold value.
 13. The method of claim 8, wherein thedetecting is performed by detecting when the mobile communication deviceis located in a near range of working distances away from the window,and wherein the near range extends from the window to about ten inchesoutwardly away from the window.
 14. The method of claim 8, andconfiguring each code as a bar code symbol; and configuring the mobilecommunication device as a wireless phone having an RF module and anantenna; and configuring the first mode as a default mode of the imagingreader.